Stars of the future can light up Bury’s season

BURY St Edmunds coach Gavin Hogg has said he will not hesitate to throw the club’s emerging young talent into the cauldron of London One North after seeing his fledgling stars flourish in a friendly in Jersey.

The Haberden-based outfit are back in league action at Hammersmith and Fulham tomorrow (2.15pm) hoping to ramp up the pressure on league leaders Thurrock and Hogg feels their trip to Jersey has shown his young stars can cope at the top level.

“It was a really good performance against the strongest opposition we have faced all season,” the Bury coach said of the impressive 40-36 win against National League One Jersey’s second string, which included a number of strong players.

“The big bonus for us was that five second-team players got some game time and it was a good opportunity to have a look at them.

“I think all of them done themselves justice and certainly increased the depth we have in the squad.

“After Christmas we will have the opportunity to look at some of the guys to give them a bit more game time and there is no problem relying on these guys — they are all teenagers of 18 and 19 and it is fantastic to see them coming through the youth system.”

And Hogg added he would not hesitate in taking his side away again in the future when another break in league action arises.

He said: “It was an opportunity for us to get away and get to know each other a bit better in a different environment and it is something I would like to do again in the future.”

With Bury currently in third place in London One North, four points off leaders Thurrock, Hogg sees the next trio of games before the Christmas break, against Hammersmith and Fulham (11th), Diss (fourth) and Colchester (second) as pivotal.

He said: “Hammersmith and Fulham’s league position does not do them justice. Looking at their results, they have had a lot of close games and lost narrowly to Letchworth. We are going down there expecting a tough game.

“They will want to cause an upset but we will be looking to win.

“We have three big games before Christmas with Diss and Colchester to finish off, and we have eyes firmly fixed on the next three weeks and we want to be in a position come Christmas where we are at the top of the table to push on.”

Centre Kenny Eggars is Hogg’s only injury doubt ahead of tomorrow’s game with him otherwise naming a full strength 22-man squad that includes a couple of youngsters who impressed in Jersey, though he was remaining coy on who they were.